B2-02 / CEFR B2 / EPISODE 02

Lab Ethics Review

Balancing detail with clarity

SceneAfter an approved trial run of his puzzle study, Frank meets with the university ethics committee. Before the main study, they need to review two documents.

Frank and researchers reviewing papers at an ethics committee. — Select the illustration to view it at full size in a new tab.

Narrator

After an approved trial run of his puzzle study, Frank meets with the university ethics committee. Before the main study, they need to review two documents.

承認を受けたパズル研究の予備調査を終え、フランクは大学の倫理委員会に出席している。本調査の前に、2種類の書類を見直す必要がある。

Chair01

What we need to clarify is your instruction sheet. Item three says, "Solve puzzles until you cannot."

明確にしたいのは、あなたの説明書きです。項目3に「解けなくなるまでパズルを解くこと」とあります。

Frank02

I wanted to see how long people could stay focused.

どのくらい集中を保てるか知りたかったんです。

Chair03

One student kept going for four hours. He thought stopping early would ruin your results.

ある学生は4時間も続けました。途中でやめたら研究結果を台無しにしてしまうと思ったそうです。

Frank04

I assumed people would stop when they got tired. I should have made that clear.

疲れたらやめるだろうと思い込んでいました。その点を明確にするべきでした。

Chair05

And set a time limit. We need to know when each session will end.

それに、制限時間も設けてください。各回がいつ終わるのか、はっきりさせる必要があります。

Frank06

Having read the feedback, I drafted this: "Stop after thirty minutes. You may stop earlier for any reason."

意見を読んで、こういう案を作りました。「30分たったら終了してください。理由を問わず、それより前にやめても構いません」。

Chair07

Better. Second item — your eleven-page consent form. Several volunteers said they just skimmed it.

良くなりました。2件目は、11ページの同意書です。何人もの参加者が、ざっと目を通しただけだと言っています。

Frank08

I would argue it is complete. Every risk is explained. Including paper cuts.

完全な内容だと申し上げたいのですが。あらゆるリスクを説明してあります。紙で手を切る危険も含めて。

Chair09

Thorough, yes. But can people find what they need to know before signing?

詳しくはありますね。でも、サインする前に知っておくべきことを、きちんと見つけられますか？

Frank10

That is a fair point. What if I put a summary first, keep the details, and use simpler language?

もっともなご指摘です。詳細は残しつつ、冒頭に要約を置いて、もっと平易な言葉にするのはいかがでしょう。

Chair11

Send both revised documents by Friday. We'll review them before you recruit anyone else.

修正した2種類の書類を金曜までに送ってください。新たな参加者を募集する前に審査します。

Frank12

Of course. The summary already exists. It is on page eleven. At the very end.

もちろんです。要約なら、すでにあります。11ページ目に。いちばん最後です。

Chair13

Next time, put it where people will actually see it. Page one.

次は、ちゃんと目を通してもらえる場所に置いてください。1ページ目です。

WORDS & CONTEXT

Words & context

“they just skimmed it”

Skim means to read quickly for the main points rather than read every word carefully. The chair points out that several participants signed the eleven-page consent form after only a quick glance.

“That is a fair point.”

A fair point is a reasonable observation. Fair enough. and simply Fair. can also acknowledge another person's argument. Here fair means reasonable, beyond its meaning of impartial. Frank accepts the chair's question about whether signers can find essential information and proposes a summary at the beginning. This expression recurs later in the series.

Browse all 60 B2 episodes

STORY English with optional Japanese translations

Words & context

“they just skimmed it”

“That is a fair point.”